SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF MINING RELATED SEDIMENT CONTAMINATION OF TURKEY CREEK WATERSHED IN THE TRI-STATE MINING DISTRICT, JOPLIN, MO

Heavy metals Pb, Zn, Cd and Fe present in soil and sediment in high concentration may pose a threat to human (and wildlife) health. Several soil surveys have focused in the area encompassing Turkey Creek and Joplin, Missouri, due to its proximity to the historic Tri-State Lead and Zinc Mining District. The Tri-State Mining District is an area of extensive mining for nearly a century (1850-1960s) that resulted in soil contamination. Contaminant levels were considered toxic enough to declare part of this area an EPA Superfund site. However, a precise map of contaminated areas has not been done. Until now, the metal content in soil has been described as “extremely irregular”. The relationship of soil and metals is complicated by the association of ore metals with particular size fractions of soil particles, which vary from site to site. Chat piles were, and still are, a common occurrence in the area and may influence the distribution of contamination. The study plotted collected samples to show where and what extent the soil contamination occurred.